Safety transmission for vending machines and the like



Sept.'14, 1948. o. ALTMAN SAFETY TRANSHISSION FOR 2,449,043 vfmlmm MACHINES AND THE LIKE 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 20. 1946 llll Illlillllli lllllillllllin' t L rl lllllllllllllll l. lll llllll ||||N|ll| 2 Il I l Sept. 14, 1948.

o. ALTMAN 2,449,043

SAFETY TRANSMISSION FOR VENDING l MACHINES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 4 Ofo HUMAN.r

ATTO NEY v Patented Sept. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICEv SFETY TRANSMISSION FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Otto Altman, Port Chester, N. Y.

Application September 20, 1946, Serial No. 698,276

Claims. 1

This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in safety transmission mechanism for vending machines and the like.

More particularly, the invention proposes an elastic member connecting the depressible plunger or other similar element of a vending machine, or other type of machine, with a movable member which is movable at times and immovable at others. It is proposed to so construct the elastic member that it has sufcient stiffness to move the movable member when the latter is free to be moved, and to buckle when the movable member is immovable.

The new safety transmission is of great value in push button type of vending machines in which coins are deposited when purchasesare made. In these machines persons often try to depress the plungers without depositing coins. `Those designs of vending machines which have rigid connection are poor in that breakage must occur if the plungers are forced inwards unduly l The invention specifically proposes to characterize the elastic member by the fact that it consists of a steel or other metal strip. It is proposed that this metal strip be arcuate in transverse Icross section to stiflen it so that it has sufficient stiffness to transmit the motion and yet will buckle should the movable member be in an immovable condition. The invention also contemplates the association of guides with the elastic member for properly guiding it.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as described which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.v

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: l

Fig. l is a fragmentary front view of a vending machine constructed in accordance with this invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged verticalsectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal ysectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed View of a portion of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryenlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line S-G of Fig'. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating the parts in a different position.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 but illustrating the parts in a different position. l

The safety transmission for vending machines, and the like, in accordance with this invention, has been shown associated with a vending machine having a casing I0 provided with a plunger holding portion Il upon which a` plurality of depressible plungers I2 are mounted. A `sign it is mounted upon the front of the casing portion il for indicating different merchandise, which each plunger represents. A plurality of chutes l5 for holding stacks of the different articles A to be dispensed are mounted within the casing IEI, Each chute I5 has a small opening i6 at its bottom through which an injector may engage to push the bottom-most article A out of a back opening ll so that it falls upon a discharge chute I8 and may be removed through a front opening I9 of the casing l0.

For each opening IG there is an ejector 20 which is mounted on a horizontal plate 2| fixedly mounted in the casing IB. This plate 2l is provided with a slot 22 for each ejector 2D. Each ejector 20 has rivets 23 and 24 engaging through a slot 22 and connected with a slide block 25 slidable upon the bottom of the plate 2| by which the ejector 2u lmay be properly guided to move forwards to ejecting positivo-n, and rearwards.

Springs 26 are connected with the plungers I2 and with stationary support pins 2l' and serve to normally urge the plungers I2 into their raised positions. Each plunger I2 is provided with a small stop block 29 which engages against a top stop wall 3l) of the casing portion Il and against a bottom stop angle 3l mounted on casing Il] for limiting motion of each plunger I2.

Each eject-or 2E) is associated with a control member 32. Each control member 32 is pivotally mounted at its back end upon one of said rivets The front ends of the control members 32. engage-through openings 28 in the side wall of a channel-like member 34 which is mounted upon the bottom of the plate 2l. This channel-like :member 34 contains a plurality of adjacent contacting slides 3-5. The adjacent ends 36 of these slides 35 are beveled and the front ends of the control members 32 are pointed and adapted to fit in the spaces between the beveled ends 36. One end of the channel 34 is closed by a plate 31 mounted on a wall 4l! xed within casing] U. `v `The ,.tracted position by a spring t8.

other end of the channel 33 is controlled by a lever 38. This lever 38 is pivotally supported by a pintle 33 upon one face of another wall 3E) iiXedly mounted within casing Iii.

One end of the lever 38 is formed with a bevel 6I which is adapted to be engaged by a coin i2 passing through a coin chute 33 supported on one ofthe walls Lili. The end Ml of the lever 33 is heavier than-theother end of the leverso that the heavier end of the lever 33 normally tends to drop. A stop pin 35 limits the bottom position of this end of the lever, while another stop pin 46 limits the upwardposition of this end of the lever 33. These stop pins 45 and do are mounted on said wall 43. an opening 41 through which the end one of the slides 35 may project, providing "that the lever 38 is not in the way. When theflever 38 'is in a moved position, moved by the coin 32, it is free of .the openin-g lI'I so that the end side 35 is capable 'of v`passingunder it. When the lever. 38

` ..is not ,moved by a coin it assumes the position "shown in Fig. 'l and then the end slide 35 can- ...notmove out. In' Fig. 7`the end slide 35. and the opening "lI'IY Vare schematically illustrated.

" The end 'slide' 35 is normally urged intoy a re- '.lhis spring 113 .actsbetween a. stationary pin 43 mounted upon the'bottom of the4 channel-like member 34 and a pinmounted on the end slide 35 and pro- .j jectingjthrough a slot I formed in the bottom ofthe channel-like member 34.

'ZJUptothis point of the specification the vend- ...llg machineis typical of any vending machine p insofar asthe movable electors Eil, or we may .cal1j1them-movable vmembers 25, cannot move forwards unless a coin 42 is in. position at the bcttombf (the coin chute i3 and holds the lever '.was .shown in Fig. 6.r In Fig. 3 one of Vthe control members 32 is shown schematicallyin its forward position. In this position the slides 35 .aremoved so 'that the vend slide 35 is extending past'the lever 38.

The. new safetytransmission, in vaccordance ",bwithfthis invention, is connectedbetween the plungers I2 andthe movable members .feiectors) .20. "The transmission for eachplunger I2 .in- .cludes an elastic .member 55, such asa steel or ,other metal strip, ,connected between .each

plunger I2 and each movable member (ejector) r20." Morespecically, each elastic member 5d is rigidly connected at its top end 55 to the .plunger ,'I2. .The elastic member 54 .extends downwards. and then engages beneath. a roller 55. A guide strip` 5'! also engages beneath each roller" 56.and assists in guiding the bottom portions of'the elastic members 5t horizontally. Each bottom horizontal. portion of each elastic member '54 connects with a movable member `(ejector) 20. .The rivetsV 23 and 24 are also used for this connection. It should be .notedthat '..indirectly each. elastic member 53 is connected :withal-control memberi32 because .it is connected with v.an ejector 20, which in turn isconnected by a rivet'23 withthe control member32.

Each elastic. member 54 is arcuate in transverse'cross section .so as to be stiller. Each elastic member 54.must have sufficient stiffness soi as to. be .capable of moving the movable .member (ejector) 20 forwards when the plunger I2 ,is depressed. .Each elastic member 5d is also capable of buckling, as for example illustrated .in Fig. 8, when 'the plunger I2 is depressed and "the movable member (ejector) 20 is in an immovable condition. The rollers 56 are mounted Said wall 40 hasL on a shaft 60 which is supported across the plunger holding portion I I of the casing I9.

The operation and use of the invention may be understood from the following:

5 Normally, the lever 38 extends across the end slide 35, as indicated in Fig. '7, so that the slides 35 are immovable. Now any one of the plungers I2 may be depressed. The elastic member 54 of the: particular depressed plunger I2 will tend to move the ejector 2f) forwards, but because the --control member 32 is incapable of prying apart a pair of adjacent slides 35 because the end slide -yff35^is-held lby the lever 33, the movable member ('ejecto'r)^23 is immovable and the elastic member.4 561` willbuckle, as illustrated in Fig. S. Be-

cause the elastic member 54 merely buckles no l'damagefwill be done to any of the operating .parts ofthe vending machine. When the plunger I2 is released it will be returnd to its raised gg position by the spring 25, and the elastic memvberiillwill assume its original upright position as vshown in Figp2.

When a coin isdropped in the coin chute of thevending machine it will engage the lever 33,

moving the lever 38 to the position shown in Fig.

go pressed. This motion will be transmitted by one of the elastic' members 53 to one of the ejectors 2l) which will move forward and engage into the bottom of one of the chutes I5 and discharge the bottom-mostl article A through the :35 opening I'Ifso thatit falls upon the chute I8 and Imaybe-removed through the opening I9. When f this ejector"- moves forwards, its control mem- `ber'32-spreads apart adjacent slides 35 so that the end slide! 35 projects through the opening 'l'I lilas illustrated in' Fig. 5. `'Should this plunger I2 be held down-it' Will'be possible to depress another oneof the Aplungers I2 but its elastic memberf 54 will merely buckle because now the slides `CV 'are incapable' of moving further. The pin 5oz-of Athe end sudest is limited by the slot 5I.

."When the plunger` I2 is released the coin 42 will :tbe dischargedfromithe lever 38 by the usual -xmechanisnn not Aillustrated on the drawing.

yWhileaI'hai/e' illustrated and described the 50. preferred"embodimentsof my invention, it is to be understood 'thatIdo not limit myself to the -precise constructions herein disclosed and the right isreservedto all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention 55 as dened in the appended claims.

'Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

.. l. A safety ytransmission for vending machines lf3-and the-like, comprising a movable member,

means for holding said member substantially 1m- .movable attimesfadepressible plunger, and an elastic member connecting said plunger and movable membenand having vsuflicient stiffness to @a move said .movable member when said plunger is depressed and having a portion extending substantally.. in vthe direction of motion of said plungerfand adaptedV to buckle when said movablemember `is.immovable and said plunger is depressed.

elastic member connecting said plunger and movable member an-d having sufficient stiffness to move said movable member when said plunger is depressed and adapted to buckle when said movable memberl is immovable and said plunger is depressed, said elastic member comprising a metal strip of arcuate shape in transverse cross section for stiiiening purposes.

3. A safety transmission for vending machines and the like, comprising a movable member, means for holding said member substantially immovable at times, a depressible plunger, and an elastic member connecting said plunger and movable member and having sufficient stiffness to move said movable member when said plunger is depressed and adapted to buckle when said movable member is immovable and said plunger is depressed, said elastic member comprising a metal strip of arcuate shape in transverse cross section for stiiening purposes, and guides for directing said metal strip.

4. A safety transmission for vending machines and the like, comprising a movable member, means for holding said member substantially immovable at times, a depressible plunger, and an elastic member connecting said plunger and movable member and having sufficient stiiness to move said movable member when said plunger is depressed and adapted to buckle when said movable member is immovable and said plunger is depressed, said elastic member comprising a metal strip of arcuate shape in transverse cross section for stiffening purposes, and guides for directing said metal strip, including a roller beneath which said metal strip passes.

5. A safety transmission for vending machines and the like, comprising a movable member, means for holding said member substantially immovable at times, a depressible plunger, and an elastic member connecting said plunger and movable member and having suiicient stiffness to move said movable member When said plunger is depressed and adapted to buckle when said movable member is immovable and said plunger is depressed, said elastic member comprising a metal strip oi arcuate shape in transverse cross section for stiffening purposes, and guides for directing said metal strip, including a roller beneath which said metal strip passes, and a guide strip engaging said metal strip and holding it against the curvature of said roller.

OTTO ALTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,594,571 Sleeper Aug. 3, 1926 2,289,108 Eaton July 7, 1942 2,302,649 Wiggins Nov. 17, 1942 

